Propulsion of vessels in water.



J. N. BAILEY. PROPULSION OFVE$SELS IN WATER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17I 1909.

993,638. I Patented May 30,1911.

WITN SE JNVENTOR mmgd bm v3 HIS A TTORNE I [N FA CT.

JAMES NICOLSON BAILEY, 'OF STRETIEORD, ENG-LAISTID, ASSTGNOB TO WESTINGr-.

HOUSE MACHINE COMPANY, A

RPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PROPULSION OF VESSELS IN WATER.

Application filetl To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES Nroonsou BAILEY, a subject of; the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Stretford, England, havemade a new and .useful Invention in Improvements in or Relatin to the Propulsion of Vessels in Water, following is a specification.

' This invention relates to the propulsion of .vessels in water, such as ships, submarines, torpedoes and the'like, and particularly' to those cases in whichan elastic fluid turbine is employed as the prime mover.

-The use of an elastic directly connected to thepropeller for the propulsion of vessels in water is attended by serious disadvantages due to the fact that in orderto secure efliciency and economy an elastic fluid turbine should be runat a high speed, whereas the propeller should be run at a comparatively low speed. It is customto make a compromise between the run at a speed lower the propeller at a ary two, the turbine being than is desirable and higher speed than is desirable,

- sult that the turbine is more expensive and less efiicient thanwould be the case if 1t could be run at a higher speed, results are not obtained fromthe'propeller. A further objectionto the use of turbines directly connected to the propeller is that turbines as at present constructed cannot be reversed with the desiredefliciency and it is therefore necessary to provide additional turbines for rotating posite directionwhen it isdesired to go astern. 7 It has already been proposed'in order to overcome the above difliculties to use electric transmission between the turbine and the propeller and in one arrangement of this kind an elastic fluid turbine drives an alter nating current generator which is electrically connected to an-induction motor which drives the propeller. .Iuthis arrangement in order toenable the speed of thepropeller to be varied, the induction motor used is of the slip ring type with adjustable resistances in the secondary circuit of the motor. This method of control is, however, open to 'seriens-objection, on account of the large size and heavy weight of the resistances, the difliculty of keeping them cool and the cost and difficulty of building a satisfactory con- .troller. V p

of w 'ich the fluid turbine which is the latter will alter with the re.

and the best.

the propeller in the op-' being detail views S peeification of Letters Patent. Patented May 30, 1911.

May 1,7, 1909.. Serial No. 496,622.

The present invention has for its object to provide an improved system of electrical transmission propeller which will allow of a high speed, and therefore economical turbine being employed,-which is not subject to the objections above mentioned. As is well known the speed of an induction motor of the short circuited rotor type is dependent, among 7 other things, upon the frequency of the cur-.

rent supplied to its primary winding. By

suitably constructing the alternating cur-. rent generator so as to give currents of predetermined frequency, and also by so designmg the motor that it will rotate at a given speed with currents of such predetermined frequency, any desired ratio of speed be tween the turbine and the propeller can be obtained which will remain constant. Under these circumstances the speed of the motor will vary inaccordance with the speed of thegenerator, as variations in speed of the frequency of the current supplied to the motor.

In the present invention variation in the speed of the propeller is obtained by varying the speed of the turbine which will] vary the frequency of the generator 2 and there fore the speed of motor 4, and for this purpose I preferably provide the turbine with means whereby the amount of steam or fluid passing to the turbine or turbines, is varied to meet the speed required.

"According to my invention I provide an alternating current generator driven by the turbine and an induction motor for driving between the turbine and the the propeller and I electrically connect the generator and themotor and 'interpose a reversing switch in the said-connection.

' In order that the invention maybe clearly understood I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure-lie a diagrammatic'view of a system of power transmission arranged in w cordance with-my invention, Figs. 2 and 3 of portions of the appa ratus-illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the turbine which may be of any well known, type is shown at 1, the rotor of which is carried upon or connected to the shaft which carries the rotor of a three-phase alternating current genera tor 2 which is electrically connected by means of conductors 3 to' an induction motor 4 the rotor of which is directly connected to the propeller shaft 5. Located in the circuit leading from the generator to the induction motor 4 is a reversing switch of any suitable type, here shown as comprising a contact arm 6 pivotally mounted at 7 and adapted to complete the circuit between contact pieces 8 connected to the supply circuit of the generator 2 and one or other of the sets of contact pieces 10; 11 electrically connected to the terminals of the motor in accontroller which is adapted to effect auto matic operation of the steam admission valves of the turblne, 1n additlon to controlling the position of the reversing switch has its handle 13 pivotally mounted at 15 and the face plate 16 of the controller is rotatably mounted on the same pivot and is capable of being rotated independently of the rotation of the handle 13 by means of a wheel and worm mechanism 17 the wheel portion being formed upon the edge of the "face plate and the worm being carried upon the shaft of a small induction motor 18, the

- terminals of which are connected by means of conductors 9 to a three phase circuit of constant potential 88. A similar motor 20 is provided also connected to the same source of supply, the shaft of the motor carrying a worm wheel 21 acting upon a toothed wheel 22, the rotation of which by means of a rod 23eccentrically mounted thereon efiects the opening and closing of a valve 24 controlling the adanission of steam to the turbine. The lower extremity of the rod 23 is pivotally connected to the stem of the valve 24: so as to permit the rod 23 to be moved out of alinement with the stem of the valve 2-1 when the wheel 22 is rotated. The motors 20 and 18 are adapted to be driven synchronously so that the position of the face plate of the controller shall correspond with the position of the valve controlling the admis sion of steam to the turbine.

I have illustrated the steam turbine valves and main controller as being some distance apart, which has necessitated a separate motor for the turbine valve and for the face plate of the controller, but under some circumstances it might be convenient to place the turbine valve governing mechanism and the main controller together in which case one motor would sutfiee to operate both the face plate of the controller and the valve of the turbine. There are various ways of insuring syn- .rotor circuit of the motor 18.

ceases chronous operation of the motors l8 and 20 but the means which I have illustrated coinprise a regulating device dependent for its operation upon the difference in speed between the two motors and adapted to vary the amount of resistance included in the This regulating device comprises differential "wheel and worm mechanism operating a rheostat 25, the arm 26 of which is adapted to make contact with studs 27 connected through successively decreasing amounts of resistance to the slip rings 89 forming the terminals of i the rotor windings of the motor 18. The arm 26 is connected to one end of a rod 28, the other end of which is pivotally mounted upon a worm wheel or floating wheel 29 in gear with worms 79, 80. The rotation of this wheel does not effect the movement of the arm 26 until the worms are rotated at different speeds, since the upper extremity of the rod 28 is pivoted to the center of the wheel 29; when, however, the worms 79, are driven at diiierent rates of speed, the wheel 29 will be raised or lowered thereby varying the amount of resistance included in the circuit in accordance with the direction of movement of the wheel. This differential wheel and worm mechanism is operated by solenoids 30, 31, in opposition to springs'32, 33 respectively acting upon ratchet wheels 34, 35 attached to said worms and driven by pawls 36, as will be understood from inspection of the drawing (Fig. 2).. In order to obtain intermittent action of the solenoids 30, 31 make and break contacts are provided on both the motor shafts adapted to complete the circuit through a battery or from direct current bus bars 39 by means of conductors 91 at each revolution of the shafts of the motors 2O, 18.

The steam chest of the turbine is indicated at 40 connected to the steam supply by means of pipe 41 and to the turbine by pipe 42. Apipe as connected to the steam chest admits steam to a separate compartment in' the turbine casing comprising a number of blades or nozzles so arranged that on steam being admitted to this compartment an efficient braking of the rotor can be obtained. An arrangement of blades for this purpose will be understood by those familiar with the art ahd I have not consideredit necessary to describe the same, The supply of steam to the turbine proper is controlled by the valve 24 before referred to, operated by the wheel and worm mechanism 21, 22 and an additional valve 44 operates to control the flow of steam to the turbine independently of the valve 24. This additional valve 44 operates in conjunctionwith a valve 4:) controlling the supply of steam from the steam chest to the braking portion of the turbine and is so arranged that the opening of either of the said valves automatically insures the closing of the other valve and vice versa. In order to effect this; operation of these valves 1' have shown their stems connected respectively to opposite ends of a link 4-6 pivotallymounted. at 47 and adapted to be rotated on its pivot, and'thus to cut ofii' the supply ofsteamto theturbine proper and open the valve leading to the braking section of the turbine, by means of a solenoid 48, acting in opposition to a spring L9 which normally holds the valve 45 controlling the supply of .steam to the braking sec tion of he turbine in a closed position. The main controller is provided with three pri-' mary positions stop full ahead and full astern t indicated respectively by dotted lines a, a, a, b, and a, c, and the intermediate positions of the controller handle in-- of a conductor 58.

53 are connected respectively to cont-act pieces 60, 59 of a switch device 86 by means of conductors-7 6, 82 the contact piece 62 of switch device 86 being connected by means of a conductor 63- to one terminal. of the solenoid48, the other terminal of the solenoid 48 is connected to the battery or direct current bus bars 39 by means of a conductor 87. The cores of the solenoids 56, 57 are operatively connected to the contact arm 81 of a switchdevice 64adapted to controlthe operation of the motors'20, 18 said switch device comprising contact pieces 65 connected to the source 88 of three-phase supply and contact pieces 66, 67. I connected to the conductors 68 leading tothe motors 20, 18. The arm 81 is normally held out of engagement withthe contact pieces 66, 67 by means of springs 90, 69. I The main controller handle 13 in addit on to effecting the op'eration of the reversin switch, effects the operation of the switc device 86 before re-- ferred to and is directly connected thereto by means of link 14, the end of which is connected to a .contact arm 77 pivotally mounted at 7 B-adapted to complete a circuit between'the contact piece 62 and one vor other of the contact pieces 59, 60 in accordance with the position of the reversing switch and the main controller handle.

In order that the reversing switch shall not be moved from a power position to a reverse position when the generator is rotatbattery or directcuri'ent a high voltage, I provide a stop 7 0 attached to the core of a solenoid 71 adapted to be moved into an operative position against the action of a spring7 2 to prevent suchreverse movement of the contact arm 6 until a predetermined fall of voltage has. occurred. The terminals of the solenoid 71 are 'con-.

nected to the circuit of the generator 2 by means ofconductors-73, (Fig. 3).

'The various circuits established in the different positions of the controller handle-will be hereinafter explained in the description of the operation of the apparatus.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: If the main controller handle is moved to the full ahead position indicated by dotted lines a, bcontact will be made between the controller handle 13 and contact piece 50. Thiswill close the circuit leading from the battery or direct'currentbus bars 39 to the solenoid 56, by means of conductors 54 and 74, which will accordingly be energized. lhe armSl will therefore be moved into engagement with contact pieces 66, which will close the circuit leading from the three-phase alternating current supply 88 to the motors'20, 18. The motors 20, 18 therefore will be brought into operation, the motor 20 by means of the wheel. and worm mechanism rotating the wheel 22 opening the valve 24 admitting steam tot-he turbine,

and the motor 18 rotating the controller face plate 16 in" a counter-clockwise direction by means of the wheel and worm mechanism 17.

It should be noted. that in passing from stop positionto full ahead position or to an intermediate power-position the solenoid 48 controlling the operation of the .v-alve stii' 'governing' the admission of ste am to the braking section of the turbine is not enei'gized owing to-the circuit leading from the.

bus bars 39- through the controller to one noidhaving been broken by the switch 86- and it is the pu'rposeof this switch to break would otherwise e completed'by reason of the controller handle 13 having been brought into engagement with the contact piece 52 or the contact piece 53 in all cases in which the controller is .moved directlyfrom a stop terminal of this sole the .circuit leadin' to the solenoid &8 which position to a power position either ahead or .astern. or from a-power' positiondirectly to a stopposition or to a higher power position when it is unnecessary to check the speed of the turbine. The motors 20 and 18 willcontinue tooperate until the-I face plate 16 of the controller has been movedto. a sufiicie t extent to break contact .between. the. controller handle and .the contact piece 50. Since speed of the motors as before explained, the 20, 18 mustat all times correspond, the valve 24, when the motors have been brought to a .stop owing to the 'ingat a high rate of speed and generating solenoid 56 having become de6nerg'ized, wi]1 30' be opened to correspond to the position of the controller handle. If, after the turbine has attained full speed it is desired to reduce the speed of'theship the controller 5 handle is moved to a position between the full ahead and stop position the lever 13 will be brought. into engagement with contact pieces 51, 53 on thelcontroller face .plate 16 by reason of the movement of the controller face plate when the controller was moved from stop to full ahead position. The circuit will be completed there- Y fore from one pole of battery or direct current busbars 39, conductor 54;, controllerdirect current bus bars 39. to'the controller handle 13 by means of conductor as, contact piece.53, conductor 82, contact piece 59 of the switch device 86, contact arm 77, contact piece'62, conductor 63, to one side of the sole- H noid 48, the'other terminal of solenoid 48 be- 153 mg normally connected to the other pole of V the battery or direct current bus bars 39 by Irians of conductor 87 .the "solenoid 48 will beenergized. This will rotate the link46 upon its pivot which will close the valve 44 i I 7 2 'overning the admission of steam to the turine and open the valve 435 admitting steam tothe braking section of the turbine.

-- Steam will be admittedtherefore tothe braking section of the turbine and the moi 'to'rs 20, 18 willcont-inue to operate until the motor 18 has rotated tkeface plate 16 of'the 'controller to an 'exte at suflicient to break contact between the ,controller handle and the contact pieces 51,553 when the motors 20,

18 will be brought to a stop and the supply.

'of' steam to the turbine will be reduced. The

motors 20, 18'will be brought to a stop by" reason of the solenoid 57 having become deenergized and the arm 81return1ng to a neutral position under the action of spring 90. Contact'bein broken between the controller handle 13 an contact piece 53, the solenoid 48 will be denergiz'ed and the link46 will be rotated on its pivot under the action of the spring 49, consequently the supply of 'steamto the braking section of the turbine will be cut ofixand steam will be again admitted to the turbine. It will be seen that the response on the part of the turbine to the 'gfi movement of the controller handle is very {completed through solenoid 57, circuit will be completed from one pole of the battery or.

" quick owing to this braking of the rotor,

.and the supply of steam to the turbine is temporarily checked in all cases in which the 'siti on"to a lower power position, owing to the movement of the valve 4%, independently of the position of the valve 24.

reduced it is desired to cut oil the supply of steam to the turbine entirely without reversing the propeller, the controller handle 13 is moved to the stop position indicated by dotted lines a, a. The controller face plate 16 having been moved when the controller handle was moved from the full ahead to the intermediate positionabo've described, this movement of the controller handle to stop position will bring the handle 13 again into engagement with the contact pieces 51, 53. This will complete the circuit leading from battery or direct current bus bars 39, conductor 54:, controller andle 13, contact piece 51, conductor 75, to one terminal of solenoid 57. The solenoid 57 will be energized and the arm 81 will be again brought. into engagement with contact pieces 67. This will complete the circuit between the three-phase supply 88, and the motors 20, 18 throughthe switch 64: and the motors 18, 20 will again be brought into plate has been moved to an extent sufficient dle and contact piece 51. When the circuit is broken, the motors 20, 18 will be stopped and the supply of steam to the turbine will be cut ofi; In this instance as before explained steam will not be admitted to the braking section of the'turbine owing to the circuit leading to the solenoid 48 having been broken by the switchdevice 86 being moved into a neutral position in which the contact arm' 77 is not in engagement with either of-the contact pieces 59, 60. In cases in which it may be necessary to pass from an ahead position to an astern posisition of the controller, which maybe possible when the controller handle is moved from a very low power position to a reverse position (in which case the solenoid would not be in an operative position and prevent the movement of the reversing switch) the same circuits will be completed was moved from a full ahead position to a lower power position, except that solenoid 48 will not be energized after the lever 13 has come to stop position -aa, and,the supply of steam to the turbine will be cut ofi until the handle 13 is moved-to stop posi: tion, when solenoid i8 will be de'c'nergized by contact arm 77 moving 0d of contact 59 which is electrically connected to contact 53, when steam will be again admitted to the controller handle is moved from a power po- If after the speed of'the ship has been as in the casein which the controller handleoperation. The motors 20, 18 therefore will continue tooperate untilthe controller face to break'contact between the controller hanturbine which Will quickly gather speed. for eflecting a reversal of the connections During this movement of the controller hanleading from the generator to the motor. and

die the motor20 will close'the valve 2i owfro-automatically cut ofi the. supply ofstea-m ing, to the rotation of the wheel 22, but, to'the'turbine.-

since the circuit leading to the solenoid 57 3. In a system' of power transmissiom a I i will not be broken until the-contact plate 16 turbine having a braking-section,"an. alteroo .past dead center, thereby eventuallythe lowest power posit-ion I either 'ahead or astern or from an intermediate powerposihas completed its movement the. wheel 22 nating current generator driven thereby, a will continue to rotate and move the crank] moto'r receiving current from" said generator, a reversing switch between the motor and generator, and means controlled. by said switch for cutting ofi the supply of .steam 7a to. the, turbine. v Qty- 1H a system of power transmission, the combination ofa turbine, an alternating opening the valve 2% to its correct extent.

lithe controller handle 13 is moved from tion to a full power position, the circuit leading to the solenoid 48 will not be completed current generator driven thereby,.a motor OWinQto the position of the 'switchdevice86, receiv ng energy from the generator arefor when the handle 13 is moved toward the versing'iswitch in the circuit leadingrf-rom ab"position, the arm 7 7 is m'contact with the'generator to the motor, a second source 59 and lever is in contact with 52 and '.ofgeneration-, a motor-controlledvalve for.

not in cont-act with 53 and no circuit will be. admitting steamtothe turbine and reoeiv- 1 completed through magnet 48, from this' t ing its energy. from the second source of will be seen that steam will only be supplied" to the braking section of'the turbine when the controller handle is moved from a high. p'owe'rposition to a lower power position, or from a power position to a reverse position, which will insure 'a quick response on the part of theturbinefto the movementof the controller handle. and the interval of time during which steain' issupplied to the aking'sectionwill depend upon the ex}.

generation, a rotatablel'contact plate for'the main controller, .a motor for imparting motion to said plate and receiving its energy from the second source/of generation, a synchronizing devicefor the two last named motors and means for closing the circuits for said motors when thereversing switch is operated. I l 5. Ina system of power'trans'mission, the combinationof a turbine, an electrical curtent of movement of .the controller handle, r t generator-driven thereby, a-moto'r reangl therefore the'a'mount of braking will eivingenergy fromsaid generator',la fluid desired to eifect, Severalsu'ch controllers. ing having an'i-nlet port and outlet ports may be selectdi .cert'ained the depend upon the decrease in speed whichit 'pressurebrake on said turbine, a steamcasmay he distributed about the ship incon leading respectively to thegenerator proper ven ent pOSLtl ODS S O that the ship maybe and to the; brake, a reversing switch becontrolled from any -one=pos1tion whichever tween. the motor and generator, and means p I j controlled by-the switch for closing one of Havingnovf particularly d s rib and .-the outlet ports and opening the other. I in what manner the same is to be performed, turbine, a generator driven thereby, a motor I .fi & jl I Claim-1S1 u receiving energy from said generator, a re- -1 i1 m'fichimlsm the class, descrlbed, versing switch in the circuit between the 1- .S team' -mot01 ha ng; a-- ak ng seCt R ,generatorand motor, an auxiliary motor, a

generator driven by the motor, 'a reversible valve controlled by the auxiliary motor for 1 electric motor receiving energy "fr the determining the amount of steam passing generator, a controller adap e everse into the turbine, and means controlled by Sa ele r mo r, a Nil-1V8 d ic ap the reversing switch for controlling the aux- O C fi fi pp yflo motive fluid f m iliary motor to determine the open position all sections of said steam motor except said of said valve. l

braking section, and means for timing saidj In testimony whereof, T' have hereunto r valve device in accordance with the extent subscribed my name 'th i.s 30th day of April of movement of said cont-roller.v 1909. p

2. Ina'pOwer transmission svst'em, a'tu'r- I 1 e, T a j a J Y 4 7, bine, an electric. generator driven by the s JAMlib LMJULUOK ALIA turblne, a motor receiving. energy from said Witnesses: generator, a controller for governing the As. EDGE, v

supply of steam to the, turbine-and means I JAsi S'rnwrm'r BnoAoroor.

copies of this patient may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the iommissioiier or Patents.

. Washington, D. G.

lfl y i nv n n 6; In. a system of power. transmission, a i 

